Goodbye my Love
by RobinEmrys
Summary: "Where's Adrien?" Marinette asked looking around the reception. "I haven't seen him in a while." Alya and Nino shared a knowing look. Nino quickly nodded. "I'll go look for him. You stay and enjoy your reception. The Bride can't leave her own party now can she?"


"Where's Adrien?" Marinette asked looking around the reception. "I haven't seen him in a while."

Alya and Nino shared a knowing look. Nino quickly nodded. "I'll go look for him. You stay and enjoy your reception. The Bride can't leave her own party now can she?"

Marinette gave a shy smile before looking to Luka on her arm. "I guess not. Thank you Nino."

Nino quickly ducked out and headed to the lone figure on the balcony. Adrien stood with a glass of red wine, overlooking Paris. As he approached he noted Plagg ducking away as he was prone to do as someone approached. Adrien didn't look back, focused on the night lights shining over Paris. "Hey dude. You doing alright?" He knew the answer was no despite Adrien's silence. He couldn't imagine what this night must be like for him. Nino finally reached the balcony and stood side by side with him and simply looked out as well. They stood in silence for a while.

Finally, Nino turned to look at Adrien. His eyes were red and there were tear streaks down his face. Adrien sipped his wine, acting like Nino wasn't there. "I'm sorry. This must be hard for you." He didn't know what else to say.

A brittle voice broke the silence. "I've loved her since the first time I saw her." He spoke without looking away from the distant Eiffel Tower. "The first time we met I said 'Whoever she is beneath that mask, I love that girl.' I've never looked back since." Nino didn't know what to say to that. He couldn't imagine loving someone that long and then having her marry someone else.

The silence continued.

Finally, Nino worked up the question they'd all been itching to ask for years, "Why didn't you do anything? About Luka then?"

A bitter smile spread across Adrien's face. It made Nino want to take it back. But before the apology could come out Adrien whispered, "Her smile." Adrien tilted his head to look at the moon. Whether that was to try and disguise the tears falling or to simply distract himself Nino wasn't sure. "She smiles at him so brightly." He continued. "He makes her so happy. She blushes and stutters and her eyes light up so bright it's like she's never seen something so wonderful. He helps her feel confident. He's there to defend her every moment of every day. She laughs so happily. He just makes her so happy."

Nino almost wanted to look away as his best friend cries freely. He realizes he's never seen Adrien cry before. Nino couldn't imagine what it would feel like for Adrien but he tries. He imagines for a moment if Alya loved someone else. If he was there at her wedding as her best man. Having to stand and smile and be happy as the girl he loves most in the world is given away to someone else. Imagines Alya loving someone else and having to realize that he will never have that with her. Never kiss her, never hold her, never be loved by her. It causes him to tear up just imagining the heartbreak. And yet here is his best friend living it. Nino throws his arm over Adrien's shoulder. He doesn't know what he can do other than be there for him.

"And I could never take that away from her." There is such conviction as he says it despite the tears and the brokenness of his voice. He shudders and tries to catch his breath through the tears. "All that matters is her happiness. Her happiness is everything to me." Adrien shudders and finally looks down at his hands on the railing. Clutching them around the metal as if it would ground him so he can force out the words he wants to say. "She is everything to me." He finally chokes out, tears pouring down his cheeks. "I will never love anyone other than her. I will love her for the rest of my life." And Nino believed him. They learned from Hawkmoth that the Agreste's love deeply and they love for life. Adrien will probably never love anyone other than Marinette his whole life. And she just married Luka. Adrien continues to silently cry. Nino notices Plagg must have come out of his hiding place at some point because he is curled near Adrien's cheek. Rubbing his face against Adrien's wiping his tears and probably soaking the rest into his fur. He makes no complaints like he normally would. Nino squeezes Adrien's shoulder pulling him a little tighter towards him. "I love her. I'll love her forever. I'll care for her. I'll protect her. I'll fight beside her as long as she'll have me. But I'll never stop. I will love her til the day I die."

It seemed the final declaration took everything out of him as his knees gave out and he kneeled on the floor. Nino kneeled with him bringing his friend to his chest. Placing his head on the blond tresses and wrapped his arms around him. If Adrien latched onto his jacket and started sobbing loudly into his chest Nino would never tell. Nino simply held him as Plagg tried to console his chosen as best he could. Eventually the sobs quieted and Adrien muttered, "Nino?"

"Yeah man."

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Anything, you know that."

"A-apologize to My-Marinette for me. I-I think I'm going to head out. I need to clear my head for a while." He slowly rose to his feet. Nino moving to help him.

"Okay. Do you want me to get you a ride or..?"

Adrien simply looked to Plagg who nodded. "Tell her I'm sorry and I hope she has a great night." Adrien then grabbed the remainder of his wine and swigged it before calling for Plagg. He then extended his pole and was off into the night.

Nino looked on until he was long gone. He sighed and grabbed the empty glass and took it inside. He handed it to a passing waiter and walked over to Alya.

"How is he?" Alya asked quietly. Nino simply shook his head.

"He told me to apologize to Mari and headed out." Alya rose an eyebrow in question. "Plagg is with him. He should be alright." The worry didn't leave though. They turned and watched as Marinette and Luka danced in slow circles. "I don't think he'll ever move on though." It didn't need to be said but he said it anyway. They looked on silently. Unsure what the future would hold but hoping to keep their friends together. Somehow.


End file.
